This invention relates to improvements in devices for facilitating the unloading of material lodged in the dump bed of dump trucks and the like by way of discharging a blast of compressed air into the dump bed of the truck.
I recognize that others have used pressurized gases to promote the flow of compacted bulk materials from storage bins, silos, and the like. For instance, by way of using compressed air tanks having a discharge head extending interiorly of the bin, silo, or the like, for release of a blast of compressed air from the air tanks and through the discharge head thereof to loosen compacted bulk material stored therewithin. In installations of this type, discharge from the compressed air tanks is only infrequently required and, being at a fixed location, a compressor can be located nearby. Thus, no appreciable problems are encountered in removal, recharging and replacing of air tanks after use thereof to loosen compacted or bridged material in a bin, silo, or the like.
It is, of course, impractical for a dump truck to have any tube-like discharge head extending within the dump bed thereof, since the dump truck will be normally used to carry all manner of material, and filling of the dump bed with such as large rocks or mass dumping therein of even particulate material, such as from a front end loader, would likely bend such discharge head and render it inoperative.
Also, since dump trucks frequently shuttle back and forth between the place of loading and the dump site, it is impractical to interrupt the payload cycle for removal, replacement or servicing of adjunct truck equipment.
Dump truck operators frequently experience difficulty in the unloading of material from the dump bed of their truck. This is especially true when the material involved is particulate and even more so when the loaded truck has been driven any appreciable distance, in which case the particulate material may have become extremely compacted by vehicular vibration.
Some truck operators attempt to remove lodged material from the dump bed by repeatedly raising the dump bed and then letting the same drop back onto the truck chassis. Such a procedure is obviously quite likely to cause damage to the truck. Others resort to shovelling out or otherwise manually loosening the lodged material, which can sometimes be a hazardous operation, particularly if attempted when the dump bed is in a dumping position.
If the lodged material is not removed, then that payload is short by the amount of lodged material remaining in the dump bed and, until such lodged material is removed, all following payloads will also be reduced by this amount. Further, if the lodged material is in the upper end of the dump bed as raised for dumping, the center of gravity of the truck is elevated to such an extent as to be liable to turn over.
Most dump trucks have a compressed air system for operation of their air brakes, horn, etc. Such compressed air system usually generates more than enough compressed air for operation of the conventional equipment of the truck, the excess of which is usually vented from the system. My invention provides for use of compressed air from the compressed air system of the truck to loosen material lodged in the dump bed thereof.
It is thus a primary object of this invention to provide a compressed air discharge system for use of the over-abundance of compressed air generated by the compressed air system of a dump vehicle to facilitate unloading of material lodged in the dump bed thereof.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a compressed air discharge system including air tank means for storing compressed air and which is releasable into the dump bed of a dump vehicle for loosening material lodged in the dump bed thereof and an air supply circuit interconnected to such air tank means and to the compressed air system of the dump vehicle for transmission of compressed air from the compressed air system of the dump vehicle to the air tank means of such compressed air discharge system.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and in which drawings: